Bullying, No Meeting on Good Friday & Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland

Last Week

Gail Dore spoke to us about bullying in schools.  I have to admit that I was pretty sceptical about the subject but it proved to be very interesting. I was surprised when she said the traditional image of the thick thug in the playground is not the typical bully because I am sure many of us have experienced something similar.  I suppose that bullying, like everything else, has become more sophisticated.  You can bully someone in the comfort of your own home through cyberspace.

Two things from her talk really resonated.  Bullying is endemic to the human condition so that it can never be eradicated totally and that very often the bullying is orchestrated humiliation by the popular child with influence.  I immediately thought of the boy, or girl, in the class who nobody likes.......and obviously bullying is not restricted to school children.

The artists who visited us last week were Dalila De Matos and David Roux.

It's so important that they meet us as a club and see what we get up to at our meetings and contrariwise, we meet them and see examples of their work that will be available at the Arts Festival.

We started doing this last year and it really has been a great success.

A Rotarian doing his duty

No Meeting this Week.
It's Good Friday so I will add a photo of a Good Rotarian...




















Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland

CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF ROTARY YOUNG CITIZEN AWARDS

This year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Rotary Young Citizen Awards, past winners from each year have been invited back to tell their story at the Conference in Manchester. 

The awards celebrate the positive citizenship and responsibilities that are shown by many young people. Rotary clubs nominated the winners, all of whom are youngsters who have gone to great lengths to help others, often overcoming adversity themselves.

There will also be a new set of winners for 2017 joining winners from the last decade.

You can watch the Awards live from the Rotary Conference in Manchester on the BBC News Channel on Saturday 8th April at 10:30 am. There will also be repeats on the same channel at 8:30 pm on Saturday 8th April and 4:30 pm on Sunday 9th April.

Vicky Neary, 28, and Danielle Jordan, 27

Back in 2007 when the Rotary Young Citizen Award started, the Interact Club of Ramsbottom was nominated for an award by their local Rotary Club to recognise the great community projects they were involved in both locally and globally. This included working with the Rotary Shoebox scheme to improve the lives of young people in Ukraine.

Grace O’Malley, 19

Music has played a key role in the life of Grace O’Malley. She won her Young Citizen’s Award in 2013 after being nominated by the Rotary Club of Padiham after raising tens of thousands of pounds for the Royal British Legion, a local hospice and cancer charities – and she’s got big ambitions for the future.

Harvey Parry, 11

Harvey is just 11 years old – but he’s already a successful athlete and campaigner. He won a Young Citizens Award in 2014 after being nominated by the Rotary Club of Edmonton when he was just eight. Harvey, who had to have both legs amputated after contracting meningitis as a small child, raises awareness of the illness.

Bella Field, 11

Losing her beloved sister Molly was very difficult for Bella Field – but she has dedicated herself to raising money for the children’s hospice that supported her family in honour of her sister’s memory. The Rotary Club of Redbridge nominated her for a Young Citizens Award in 2015 to recognise all her good work.

Owen Thurston, 18

Owen has epilepsy and won a Young Citizen Award last year after being nominated by the Oxted and Limpsfield Rotary Club. He’s been speaking out to raise awareness of epilepsy and improve the lives of people with the condition. He continues to campaign and take part in research.